A Spider Demon's Revenge
by BlueRaven 666
Summary: Claude finds himself eternally bound to spider she-demon, Anansi. With it being the middle of breeding season, he has 2 options: make his nemisis the host to their eggs, or become a host himself. WARNINGS: Harsh language, Yaoi, Claude/Sebastian, graphic depictions of rape, violence, and mpreg. Don't like, Don't read. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. PART 1

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **PART 1**

Claude Faustus had to be the unluckiest demon alive.

If being being known as the demon that abandoned his contract for another, only to be run through the chest by his arch nemesis with a demon sword wasn't enough to land him in a world of embarrassment with a tarnished reputation, the punishment that followed upon his return to Hell was. Claude expected eternal imprisonment and physical torture; the typical punishment for demons that failed their masters. After all, making contracts was one of very few freedoms Satan gave his minions, and failure of any sort was inexcuseable in his eyes. No, Claude had not just failed his former contact holder, Alois Trancy. He had failed the master of all demons, Lord Satan himself, and he had braced himself for whatever misery and anguish the Prince of Hell would put him through.

But Claude would have rather been drawn and quartered a thousand times over, eaten alive from the inside out by maggots, and made into a hellhound's chew toy over the punishment that had been selected for him. Rather than being marched out of Satan's throne room in shackles and chains, a she-demon that seemed less than pleased to be bound, gagged, and caged was carried in; another spider demon with a powerful hatred burning in four ember eyes and a disgusted snarl that was clearly visable through the rags layered over her lips. The single phrase that rolled out of Satan's mouth next turned Claude's confusion into a bitter mixture of anger, annoyance, repulsion.

"You are now eternally bound to this woman."

Being eternally bound to another being, be it a human, demon, angel, or grim reaper, was equal to marriage in the human world. The only difference was divorce was not an option. Either partner could have as many sexual partners as they desired, or choose to remain in the human world for as many centuries as they pleased. Neither could ever make the mark of an eternal binding fade. It was like a wedding ring that couldn't be taken off, and in most cases one demon would relentlessly follow the other. And that was exactly the kind of she-demon Claude had been saddled with. He still had the freedom to go and make contracts as he pleased, but with an aggressively clingy spider she-demon at his side.

Anansi was just as unenthused as Claude was... for maybe a second. Her aggression rapidly cooled into amusement after looking Claude over a time or two. Considering the spider demon was in no position to refuse her without further punishment, and the fact that Claude just happened to be one of the more attractive demons in Hell made him a trophy of a mate.

Anyone who took half a glance at the two spider demons could tell they were polar opposites. It was common knowlege that Claude was dull and quiet. Anansi was energetic and loud. Claude was apathetic in nature. Anansi was curious and always interested in something, her energy usually being used to find new ways to torture other demons and damned souls around Hell. She was almost always talking while Claude preferred to keep his lips sealed.

Claude could tell that this pairing was completely intentional. On top of being loud and obnoxious, she was a lot like the master he had betrayed. Blond hair, fair skin, and incredibly flirtatious towards him, Satan had made sure to select a demon that reminded him as much of Alois Trancy as possible. Hell, even her voice sounded a little bit too much like the earl's for comfort.

If Claude had lower standards for mates, Anansi could have been classified as a trophy bride. She had a gorgeous face with soft pink lips, slightly flushed cheeks, and those four ember eyes happened to stake the claim of being the most beautiful found on any spider demon. And beind her locks of platinum blond hair sat four more ember eyes on the back of her head; used by most spider she-demons to watch for those who tried to attack from behind. Her upper body was that of a slender woman with breasts that were neither too large or too small. Below her waist was the body of a spider with a large, bulbous abdomen and eight sleek little legs, all painted in an array of shimmering blues and greens with some hints of red peeking through. The only thing that kept Claude from being happy with being eternally bound to her was everything else. The noise, the resemblance to Alois, and the fact that most spider she-demons preferred to eat their partners, or at the very least _parts_ of their partners shortly after mating.

And of all the times he could have been sent back to Hell and eternally bound to a spider she-demon, he just had to sent back in the middle of breeding season. Not that every single day wasn't breeding season for demons, or demons of lust, at least, but it was probably the only four times out of the year that Claude would avoid other demons like the plague, especially considering that she-demons would hunt down males for the opportunity to mate. Sometimes it was for status, sometimes it was for genetics, and sometimes it was simply to compete to see how many males they could boast about breeding with. The fact that Claude was eternally bound to a she-demon paired with the fact that it didn't matter if one partner wanted to mate and one did not meant that he was completely at Anansi's mercy.

And Anansi had no mercy.

"So are we going to do this, or what?" she inquired as they exited the devil's palace.

"Do what?" Claude grumbled.

Anansi rolled her eyes as she started to circle him; her eight legs rhythmically tapping against the ground, "You know what."

"I'm not really _in the mood_ , Anansi."

"You've never really ever been 'in the mood'. I'd bet all eight legs you're still a virgin."

"I'm sorry if I'm not eager to become nourishment for your brood."

Anansi laughed loudly, "Like I would eat you, Faustus! No, I don't love you enough to eat you to feed our babies."

 _At least we can agree on something there_ , Claude though to himself as he walked on, is own eight spidery limbs curled up on his back.

Claude's demonic appearance didn't hold a candle to Anansi's. His eight limbs were girthier, spiked, and patterned with blacks, greys, and browns. Four black, soulless eyes sat on his face, and he wasn't blessed with having four more see things from behind. Not that he needed it. Next to Anansi, he was just as lifeless and dull as his personality.

"Oh, come on!" Anansi said, wrapping her arms around him, "If we're going to be eternally bound to one another, and it's the middle of breeding season, we might as well take advantage of it."

"You're really that eager to lay anywhere between one hundred to one thousand eggs? Good luck. You can't even wait a day to let this whole eternal binding situtation settle in. You won't be able to wait three days for those eggs to mature, let alone three weeks for them to hatch from an egg sac."

Anansi let out a mischievous giggle, "Who said I was going to be the one laying the eggs?"

The question made Claude stop dead in his tracks and throw a cautious glance over his shoulder to Anansi. The mischievous look in her eyes matched her giggling as she slowly crept towards him until she was pressed against his back. Resting her head on his left shoulder, she wrapped her arms arounds his waist, her hands gliding up and down his abs.

"I think you'd make a wonderful host for our eggs," she whispered, "The thought of it really turns me on."

Claude cringed, "I think not!"

In one swift motion, the spider demon's eight legs unfolded, sending Anansi flying backwards and landing hard on her back.

"I don't love you enough to become a host for your vile offspring!" he hissed, walking briskly away, "If you'd like, ask another demon to take my place, instead."

Anansi rolled off her back and tried to regain her footing, "That can be arranged, you know."

Claude stopped and turned, "What are you talking about?"

The look of mischief hadn't faded in the slightest. Instead, Claude's question made it intensify until Anansi was grinning from ear to ear.

"What do you say to a little revenge?"

"Revenge? On whom?"

The she-demon beckoned to him with a slender clawed finger.

In cautious steps, Claude inched his way closer to her until he was close enough to hear her whisper into his ear.

"Michaelis."

Claude shot her a skeptical look, "Michaelis? As in Sebastian Michaelis? The raven demon indentured to Ciel Phantomhive; _that_ Michaelis?"

" _Used to be_ ," Anansi stated, " _Used to be_ indentured to Ciel Phantomhive. Apparently Satan put an end to that, and now Michaelis is eternally bound to Shelob, or something. I don't know. The point is that Michaelis is down here right now! Now's the perfect time to exact your revenge and make him pay for--"

"No thank you."

Before Anansi could get another word in, Claude was already walking away.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, scurrying after him.

"Firstly, that plan is outrageously stupid. There's no convincing or tricking Michaelis into being the host of another pair's brood. Secondly, Michealis won the battle for Ciel Phantomhive fair and square. It's Hannah Anafeloz that I would have had to get revenge on if I would have won."

"And thirdly?"

Claude stopped and turned to Anansi once more.

"And thirdly, do you know how much trouble we'd be in if we did that to Michaelis? If he really is eternally bound to Shelob, like you claim he is, he's probably already host to all of her eggs. Not to mention Michaelis is Satan's youngest son. If we go through with this crazy plan of yours, we'd both be looking at a millennium of torture for each egg. No. Thank. You!"

As Claude started walking away, Anansi lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his legs.

"Please Faustus!" she whined, "I want us to be able to sow our wild oats like everyone else this season!"

"So why can't you do the honour of carrying the eggs like you're supposed to?"

"Because!" Anansi hissed, "I don't want to go through the "joy" of childbirth. With all of the discomfort and the mess, no thanks! Besides, I've got something against that Shelob bitch anyways. It would just be more fun to see the look on her face when the spiderlings hatch out and they look like you or me, and not _her._ "

"In other words, you want to start something with Shelob. Well, you have fun with that."

Before Claude could continue on once more, Anansi jumped on top of him and pinned him down on the ground, trapping him inside of her eight radiant legs. If looks could kill, Claude would have been set ablaze by the raging fire in her eyes. Her mouth curled into a disgusted sneer as she looked down at him.

"Listen here, Mister," she snapped, "You're in no position to argue! If I wanted to, I could go to Lord Satan right now and have you tortured for displeasing me. You have two options: you, or Michaelis. Now, which is it going to be?"


	2. PART 2

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **PART 2**

"How in the world did I let you talk me into this?"

The question not only echoed throughout Claude's mind. It reverberated throughout his entire body. Anansi's threats of torture should have carried about as much weight as a feather after being forced to be eternally bound to the spider she-demon. In fact, being host to her eggs would have been the equivalent to having his insides being chewed up by maggots; an agonizing ordeal that he would have rather endured than go through with this plan.

The two of them sat crouched atop a cliff that overlooked the hollow where Shelob's cave sat. There, pacing in elegant strides as lost himself in thought, was Sebastian. They could tell by looking at him that he was already host to several of Shelob's eggs. To the untrained eye, it might have seemed as though nothing was wrong, but Claude knew the signs. The raven demon seemed to be just a little too preoccupied with something going on inside his abdomen. Whether it was stretching it slightly to ease the discomfort of the eggs moving deeper into his bowels to develop, or exhaling ever so slightly as they started to grow, he knew.

Anansi licked her lips in anticipation as she watched him. The excitement radiated off of her like an aura as her spidery legs stroked her swollen abdomen at the knowledge of what was about to occur.

"Here's what we'll do," she said, turning to Claude, "I'll go down there and distract him. Then, when I give the signal, you come in and restrain him with your webbing."

Claude sighed irritability, "You're really going to use signals? Why not just pounce while he's already distracted? For all we know, Shelob could be just out of sight watching him, too."

"That's why I want to go down there; to make sure we won't be interrupted."

"Suit yourself, but if Shelob attacks you, I'm not coming in to save your ass."

Anansi simply shot him a disapproving scowl before crawling her way down there.

"Oh, Michaelis!"

Sebastian halted his pacing and turned to the approaching she-demon.

"Anansi?" he inquired curiously, "What brings you here? Where's Claude?"

"Oh, you know... avoiding me."

"Not surprising, I suppose. That spider's never really been one to socialize, let alone take interest in a mate. You're a bit far from your own cave, aren't you? What are you doing all the way out here?"

Anansi giggled playfully, "I just wanted to talk. Are you and Shelob making any plans for this season, or are you waiting until next season?"

Sebastian scoffed, "Considering Shelob made me a host the moment we reached the cave, I'd say this season."

"Oh, really? How many?"

"About fifty, or so."

"Fifty? Why so little?"

"I asked her to take an easy on me. This is the first clutch I've hosted, so..."

"Oh, please," Anansi interrupted, "Just fifty? A big, strong male like you should at least be able to do one hundred. Come on, you should give your offspring somewhat of a chance!"

"Keep your voice down!" Sebastian hissed, "Shelob is just inside sleeping, and I think she'd be less than pleased to be woken up. Especially by you."

Anansi could hardly contain her excitement. Shelob hardly slept, and when she did, she slept heavily for a whole day. The way she saw it, she and Claude were in the clear.

"Sorry about that," she said, lowering her voice, "but don't you think you'd be able to carry a few more in there?"

"Perhaps," Sebastian replied, stretching slightly once more as his insides churned to accommodate for the space being taken up by the eggs.

"Because, that can be arranged, you know?"

The raven demon shot her a confused look, "What?"

In the briefest of moments, Anansi reared up four of her eight spidery limbs, reflecting a metalic blue flash off of the stone walls. Not seconds later, Sebastian's raven-like wings were cocooned behind his back, webbing bound his wrists to his side and his ankles together, and a wad of the sticky mesh was stuffed into his mouth, wiring his jaws shut. As his lack of balance knocked him to the ground, Claude jumped down from his hiding spot on the cliff.

"You overdid it a bit, darling," Anansi stated as she stood over the helpless raven demon, "but that's alright. We can still make it work."

Sebastian whipped his head around and glared at the spider demon. His burning red eyes screamed the enraged profanities that his mouth could not. He kicked, writhed, and squirmed, to no avail, and he knew if he tried to struggle much more, his body would be torn apart by the threads of Claude's web.

To Claude, the sight was no better than a sword through the head. Sebastian had won their last battle fairly, a battle the spider demon had started, and a battle that the raven demon had every right to fight him in. This was senseless, and if Satan were to find out about it, like he most likely would, he and Anansi were as good as dead.

The spider she-demon had already readied herself into position, removing the silky pitch black garments that cloaked Sebastian's lower half and forcing his haunches up for easier insertion.

"Really, just fifty eggs?" she said teasingly, "You can handle more. Far, far more."

Claude recoiled in disgust as Anansi's ovipositor slipped inside of Sebastian and began snaking it's way through his insides. The eggs Shelob had already inserted inside of him bushed against the organ as it moved as far up into him as it possibly could. The she-demon moaned and whimpered as the eggs flooded out of her, matching the raven demon's moans and whimpers as the eggs filled his intestines until he thought they would burst. The feeling made him want to vomit, but his stomach didn't have so much as a single soul or a drop of bile to relieve him.

Sebastian's body screamed at the utter sense of wrongness that seemed to fill him. The pinch of Anansi's legs pinning him to the ground, the weight of her mounting him, the pain that shot through his anus with each flood of eggs that Anansi pushed into him, the feeling of the eggs trying to settle in his intestines, a sensation that made the raven demon feel ashamed and violated; all of it brought him to a new level of anger, disgust, and shame that he had never experienced. In a way he was grateful to the spider demon for silencing him with his webs. Having to hear himself cry out for help would have been the one thing that would have thrown his dignity out the door.

As Anansi was about to retract her ovipositor, she thought she felt something strange. It felt like another orifice, but also wondered if it could have just been the male demon's prostate. Curiosity got the better of her as she thrust her abdomen into it. While the organ seemed to slip seamlessly deeper into Sebastian, the raven demon's back arched as he let out a sudden shriek. It felt as though the she-demon had run him through with a sword. He thought he felt something rip open inside of him as Anansi continued to explore the area with her ovipositor

Her eyes suddenly lit up as a delighted laugh escaped her mouth.

"You're not going to believe this, Faustus!"

Claude tried to resist the urge to gag. He'd been standing by for a while now, and with each move Anansi made, he regretted his decision to attack the raven demon more and more, "I already can't believe it."

Anansi laughed once more, "Michaelis here has a reserve pouch."

"And that means what, exactly?"

"It's basically the equivalent of a uterus, only instead of carrying and nourishing a live child, it holds more eggs. And from how hollow it feels, even Shelob doesn't know he has it!"

Sebastian stuggled to hold back another agonizing shriek as more eggs flooded into the reserve pouch. If he thought he'd been close to bursting before, it was a thousand times worse now, and it would get worse over the course of the next three days as the eggs rapidly grew from the size of peas to the size golf balls. He'd be lucky if Shelob would be able to use him as a host again, and he'd be luckier if this ordeal didn't cause him to become infertile; a possible consequence as the eggs could do damage to more than just his intestines, rectum, and anus depending on just how many he'd be forced to push out of him.

"Take it easy on him, Anansi," Claude managed to growl, "Remember those eggs need room to grow."

"That's right," the she-demon sighed. She quickly pulled her ovipositor out of Sebastian and wrapped her arms around him, "See? You can handle more than fifty eggs. You have 432 more in you now."

Yes, infertility definitely wasn't out of the question.

Sebastian shot her a hateful scowel as she slowly crawled back over to Claude.

Anansi rested a hand on her mate's shoulder, "Your turn."

The disgust in Claude intensified as he observed the raven demon's weakened form lying on the ground. His gut was bloated from the sheer number of eggs that were pumped into him, giving him the appearance of a human halfway through their pregnancy. If he could, he'd reach in and pull all 432 eggs that Anansi had pumped into him out, but such a move would put Sebastian through more pain and stress than what he'd endured already, and would more than likely kill him. Additional pain and stress was the last thing he needed for the next three days.

Claude uttered a defeated sigh as he strode over to Sebastian. Knealing down he pulled him onto his lap, allowing his head to lay back against his shoulder.

"It might not mean much coming from a bastard like me," the spider demon whispered, "but please believe me when I say I am sorry. I didn't want this to happen. I'm so, so sorry."

Sebastian looked away from him for a moment, searching his thoughts. Demons didn't apologize for anything. Things like rape weren't exactly illegal in Hell. In fact, it was a common practice. Claude apologizing was like seeing a unicorn. It didn't happen, so for him to look him in the eyes and sincerely apologize for the actions of his mate and for what he was about to do... while he didn't condone his actions, it had to mean something.

The raven demon closed his eyes, took a deep, calming breath, looked back to Claude, and gave an acknowledging nod.

Reluctantly, Claude proceeded to undo the buckle to his trousers and stroked his member until, after much agonizing effort, it finally got hard. The only bright side he saw to this was that his member could not hold a candle to Anansi's ovipositor. At the very least, it would cause Sebastian less pain, and more pleasure.

The raven demon offered little resistance as Claude slowly slid into him. Before the spider demon could move to start pacing himself, however, the wind was knocked out of him as Sebastian's hips collided with his. With fists clenched and teeth bared, the raven demon began pacing himself. Slowly, at first, but then faster and faster until the rhythmic slapping of skin was the only sound reverberating off the walls surrounding them.

Niether demon dared to moan or pant; the telltale sounds of the pleasure caused by sex. They wanted to make it pefectly clear that they were not enjoying this; that this wasn't either demon's choice to be in this position. Claude even sank his venomous teeth into his hand, rather than the back of Sebastian's neck, to keep himself silent as he came closer and closer to climax.

Anansi quickly caught on to the message they were sending and moved around in front of Sebastian.

"I can see it in your eyes, you know?" she sneered, her fingers coiling around the raven demon's reluctantly erect member "You're secretly enjoying this. Wait until Shelob finds out what you--"

The spider she-demon's taunt was cut short as her chest suddenly burst open, spraying a mist of blood over Sebastian and Claude. She spat blood from her mouth as she looked down. A large spiked spider leg glistening in an array of metallic purples, blues, blacks, and now red with her blood protruded from her chest. Two slender hands with fingers tipped in glassy black claws held her on both sides of her head as an enchanting female voice uttered a single phrase that chilled all that could hear it to the marrow of their bones.

"You're too late."

In one swift motion, Anansi's head was torn clean from her shoulders, showering the hollow in even more blood as every limb went limp. The body was flung aside while the head was crushed under two of those spiked spidery limbs.

Claude's heart began to pound violently as he gazed into four dazzlingly blue eyes. Locks of gorgeous black hair fell to the middle of her back. Much like Anansi, she had the torso of a slender woman, with large breasts, and from the waist down was the body of a spider. The difference between this spider she-demon and Anansi, however, was that this she-demon was far larger than her, with a far more dazzling coloration, and was far more dangerous.

The she-demon rested her head on an upturned palm as she examined the sight in front of her; her mate bound and gagged with his abdomen swollen with eggs that weren't hers, reluctantly being fucked by a demon he considered his enemy.

"Hello, Faustus."

If one final, violent slam from Sebastian hadn't been enough to make Claude spill his seed into the raven demon, then his inability to control himself in the face of the most attractive spider she-demon in all of Hell was.

"Hello... Shelob..."


	3. PART 3

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **Part** **3**

Claude's mind scrambled for an explanation as Shelob stared down at him. She knew what was happening. She had to know what was happening. He didn't want to go through with it, but he let Anansi talk him into doing it anyway. But how was he supposed to explain that when he was balls deep into the raven demon, not just fertilizing his mate's eggs, but likely Shelob's as well?

The spider she-demon's gaze veered from Claude to Sebastian. Her eyes held neither anger nor pity as she used one of her spidery limbs to shred the restraints around his ankles.

"Come here, Michaelis."

The raven demon nodded and stood up. His steps were shaky, but he managed to stay upright as he approached his mate. Shelob reached down and tilted his head up to meet her gaze.

"Even your jaws are restrained with webs," she muttered as her fingers worked to pry the sticky mesh out from between his teeth, "How sad."

"It wasn't his fault," Sebastian said as the last of the webs tore free, "Anansi forced Claude to do it. It was her idea from the start."

Shelob brushed a hand across the raven demon's nethers, coating her finger tips in the semen that had spilled out.

"And yet he still had the audacity to fill you with his seed? You couldn't have at least faked an orgasm for your sake, Faustus?"

Claude looked away. The thought had crossed his mind a couple of times, but he had been too worried about Anansi to follow through with it. Lord knows what she would have done to him if he would have just faked it all and had left.

Shelob's hand came to rest over Sebastian's abdomen, feeling the soft, spherical eggs ripple beneath her touch.

"How many more are there?" she asked.

"432," Sebastian replied, "At least that's what Anansi said."

"Impossible. Even if I had filled every last inch of your intestines with my eggs, they wouldn't be able to hold more than two hundred, or so."

"She filled his reserve pouch, too," Claude added.

"What?"

"At least that's what I think she said. Anansi mentioned that Sebastian had a reserve pouch in him too."

Snarling with rage, Shelob leaped over Sebastian, and pinned the spider demon down by the throat. And Claude had been afraid of Anansi. Shelob looked like she was a shitty excuse away from killing him like she had done with his mate.

"Michaelis's reserve pounch isn't fully developed yet!" she hissed, "If it expands too much, the muscles around it will be useless for expelling the eggs and he'll be left egg-bound!"

Claude laid there, stunned. No wonder Shelob hadn't made use of her mate's reserve pouch. She was sparing Sebastian the agony of not being able to get the eggs out of him and having them hatch inside his body. It rarely caused death and was torturous. Spiderlings hatched ready to kill and devour, even if what they killed and devoured was one of their own parents.

"I'll be fine, Shelob," Sebastian stated, trying to calm the fuming she-demon, "These next three days were going to be spent resting, anyways."

Shelob scoffed, "You say that now. In three days you'll be begging me to kill you."

The she-demon released her grip on Claude's throat, leaving a prominent, hand-shaped bruise behind as her long, spidery legs stepped over Sebastian and carried her back towards her cave. The raven demon gave one last glance over his shoulder to the spider demon before he turned to follow her.

Claude sat up and leapt to his feet, "What if I looked after Michaelis instead?"

Both demons stopped in their tracks and whipped their heads around to face him. While Shelob looked more skeptical, likely questioning the validity of the spider demon's words, Sebastian was glaring at him, most likely wanting to be as far away from him as possible.

"You're joking, right?" Shelob inquired with a smirk.

"Not at all," Claude replied, "I am partially responsible for what happened, so I should take some responsibility for it."

The she-demon pondered his request with a bemused grin, "Making sure Michaelis stays rested?"

"I'll handle it."

"Finding a secure place for him at the nesting grounds?"

"Don't even worry about it."

"Weaving the egg sac?"

"Consider it done."

A hum purred in Shelob's throat, "What do you say, Michaelis?"

"I say it's a horrible idea!" the raven demon hissed, "I'm your mate, not his. Who's to say he won't pull try something at the last minute?"

Claude couldn't help but chuckle, "You don't trust me? Even after I apologized?"

"Let's just say I trust you like a sheep trusts a hungry lion."

Shelob smiled, "As do I. That's why I'll let him do it."

Sebastian wheeled around, "What?!"

"Think of it as a challenge," the she-demon explained, "The moment he starts to fail, you can always kill him, eat him, and come back here, or bring him to me to kill and eat; whichever you prefer."

The raven demon turned back to Claude, scanning his body with a doubting gaze. He would have rather torn off his own wings than leave his care in the hands of a demon that betrayed his own master. At the same time, however, he'd rather die than walk with Shelob into her cave, especially since he smelled too much like Claude and Anansi to trust her not to remove the eggs herself somehow. The thought of him possibly having his organs pulled out outweighed his lack of trust in the spider demon.

"Fine," he growled in reluctance, "So long as he doesn't try anything stupid."

"Then it's settled," Shelob announced, "Just don't forget who you're eternally bound to, Michaelis."

"I won't. I'll return as soon as this is all done and over with."

With an acknowledging nod, the she-demon scurried back towards her cave, "Good luck, Faustus. You're going to need it."

Claude walked up to Sebastian and sighed, "I'm glad that's over."

The raven demon lunged forward, bashing his head into his and knocking him to the ground.

"Just untie my wings and wrists, and let's go."


	4. PART 4

**A Spider Demon's Reveng** e

 **PART 4**

"Michaelis, I realize that I'm in the wrong here, so I'm in no position to bargain, but don't you think walking would be the safer option?"

Claude forced himself to curl his body upwards, just barely dodging the tip of a large, jagged rock. The moment he freed the raven demon's wings, Sebastian had insisted on flying back to his nest; a cave set up high near Hell's ceiling where most demons that were able to fly chose to make their homes. While Claude understood that going there was no easy journey on foot, he felt it was safer and less strenuous than carrying him by the ankles and flying them all the way there like Sebastian was doing now.

On top of that, the raven demon hadn't spoken a word since they'd taken flight. While he knew that being forced into having sex didn't warrent a friendly conversion right after, Claude knew that the more they were able to communicate with each other, the the more he'd be able to understand the situation and, hopefully, the better he could handle what was to come. Even so, Sebastian still said nothing. He simply continued to fly, using his energy to carry them as the spider demon hung upside down trying to dodge the jagged tops of boulders and mountains.

Relief only came when Claude caught a glimpse of a massive shadow in the distance. Swarms of winged demons circled their massive nests. Some were carved into the corners where the ceiling and the canyon walls joined, others were build around dangling vines and tree roots out of various treasures and trophies each demon had collected over the centuries. Sebastian's stood out like a sore thumb. There were very few nests that had a pair of angel wings protruding from it, and it had to be the largest.

As they neared the nest, Claude's presence was already making itself known. It felt as though he was inches away from another raven demon that was hissing in his ear, or a bat demon trying to bite him, or some other demon laughing at him. At one point he heard Sebastian yell at one of them to shut the hell up, and they all fell silent. The perks of being royalty.

In one swift motion, Sebastian threw Claude head first into the opening of the cave. The twisted up twigs and branches tore at his skin as he landed, and he was sure he felt the sting of a metal edge cut deep into his arm. He looked and saw the slightest glint of gold. Looking closer, he realized it was a knife, one Claude was all too familiar with. It was a piece from the Trancy's cultlery set, likely one Sebastian had taken home with him after one of their many duels. The very end of it was sticking up and had likely cut into him when he slid in. He gently curled it downward into the nest, hoping to avoid a similar incident from happening again.

Claude sat up and watched as Sebastian landed, immediately concerned as he wrapped his arms around his abdomen and doubled over.

"I told you we should have walked," the spider demon said as he rushed to his side and rested a hand on his shoulder, "Is there anything I can do for--"

"Just shut up, and get away from me!" the raven demon hissed.

Claude obliged and leaped backwards several feet. He watched as Sebastian winced and strained before reaching behind him towards his nethers. He was silent for a second before he sighed.

"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, bringing his hand back around.

"Were you trying to force them out?" Claude inquired, taking a cautious step forward.

"No," Sebastian retorted, "I thought I felt some coming out, but that wasn't the case. Anansi made sure of that."

Claude closed his eyes and shook his head. It'd only been a few hours since his ordeal, and the raven demon already looked like he was bracing himself to lay the eggs. The next two days were going to be rough.

"I think what's important now is that you rest," the spider demon said, "You're already pushing yourself harder than you should be."

Sebastian nodded and straightened himself. He strode over to a jumble of branches that had been fashioned into a man-sized bird's nest and curled up inside.

"Is there anything you want me to do in the meantime?" Claude inquired.

"Just make sure the nest doesn't fall apart, and try not to cause any more trouble," the raven demon demanded as he pulled his wings over him.

The spider demon nodded in acknowledgement as he exited the nest. His spidery limbs helped carry him over the spherical structure and he immediately noticed several weak spots where vines were about to snap or branches and trophies were about to fall off. Some parts looked as though they had been ripped off, likely stolen by other demons. He repaired what he could, spinning strong webs to ensure they would never be undone. The twigs and sticks would rot and turn to dust before his webs would give in.

It was when he was working on the sides of the nest that he looked down and noticed the pile of branches, twigs, vines, and various lost items from all of the nests on the ground. He jumped down, startling a bat demon that was rummaging around for it's own treasures. It's lips curled back in a snarl, exposing a set of jagged teeth almost too large for it's mouth before it flew off, leaving it's loot behind. Among them, Claude noticed an all-too-familiar pair of specticals, the specticals he wore back at the Trancy estate. They were undamaged despite having fallen from such a height, and he wondered what other treasures from him Sebastian had pocketed during his battles.

In total, Claude recovered his specticals, three more golden knives, a piece from a broken dinner plate, several bullets, and the front of a box of New Moon Drop tea, all from the Trancy estate. He recovered several pieces from the Phantomhive estate, as well, including a pocket watch, several silver forks and knives, a handful of chess pieces, a shredded tailcoat, a life-sized head of a doll that appeared to be made out of iron and steel, and one white butler's glove. Along with all the branches and vines he needed, Claude had all that he needed to restore the nest to its former glory, if not add more onto it.

Over the course of the day, the walls of the nest were reinforced and thickened. The spider demon even built his own little den in case Sebastian's temper flared and the two needed time apart, which would likely happen in the coming hours. When he had finished all he could think of to do on the nest, he sat inside with Sebastian as he slept, weaving his webbing to pass the time. He'd occasionally glance over at the raven demon whenever he'd shift positions or writhe uncomfortably in his sleep. He still felt guilty about what had happened, and more. At this point, he'd have given anything to go back in time and agree to be host to Anansi's eggs, because in two days he was going to be faced with two facts: he didn't know where the nesting grounds were, and of all the things he knew how to weave, an egg sac wasn't one of them.

Claude's attention veered over to Sebastian as the raven demon stirred from his sleep and sat up.

"What are you doing?" he asked groggily.

The spider demon lifted a bundle of woven webbing up from his lap, "Keeping myself busy... Michaelis, I need to tell you something."

"Okay?"

"I lied."

"What?"

"I can look after you and make sure you're rested, sure, but I don't know where the nesting grounds are."

"What!"

" _And_ , don't panic or anything, but I don't know how to weave a sac to keep the eggs safe in."

"What?!"

Before Sebastian could react, he yelped in pain and doubled over once more. A hand clamped over his mouth as the other wrapped around his torso. His face turned a sicky grey and his body convulsed as if he was trying to vomit. It wasn't unheard of for eggs to be forced into the stomach and be vomited out in rejection. In Sebastian's case, it wouldn't have been surprising.

Claude hurried to the raven demon's side.

"If you need to vomit, then vomit," he said calmly, "It'd probably be for the best if you do."

Sebastian nodded, dropping has hand and leaning over as he let out a gag. Several more followed, but all the raven could muster were dry heaves. They eventually passed, leaving him crumpled in his nest clutching his growing stomach once more.

Claude sighed in disappointment. It would have been good for Sebastian to vomit up a couple dozen eggs. Even when they weren't fully developed, they were still as stubborn as Anansi.

"What now, genius?" Sebastian gasped out as the pain subsided, "Tell that to Shelob, and she'll most definitely kill you. And 482 eggs will definitely make a mess without an egg sac."

"I'll figure out something," Claude replied, "Don't worry about it."

"You best figure out something in less than two days, or your offspring are as good as dead."

It was then that the question dawned on the spider demon, a question he hadn't even bothered to ask himself. Why did he care? Being that most of them were eggs from a woman he didn't love, inside of a demon that had been his enemy, reluctantly fertilized by his own seed; why did he care what happened to them? Why did he care about where they were laid, or how they would be protected? Because some of them belonged to a spider she-demon that would kill him the moment he came back? That threat never carried weight in the past.

So why?


	5. PART 5

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **Part 5**

Being host to 482 eggs was just as uncomfortable as it sounded. Over the centuries, Sebastian had taken the form of a female human a few times, and there had been a few times among that where that form had wound up pregnant and had to give birth. The first couple of times, he thought he was going to die, and next couple of times, while they were easier, left him wishing someone could have at least made it so he didn't feel anything below his waist. Thinking back on all those times now made him appreciate the fact that he'd at least done it in a form that was meant for childbirth, but being host to 482 eggs was a completely different ordeal entirely.

It made his back hurt much like pregnancy did, especially the larger his abdomen grew, but that was where the similarities ended. He could feel every egg that was nestled in his intestines move. Whenever he would change positions, whenever anything made contact with his abdomen, even when he would breathe he could feel them shift and move. It was a feeling that made his stomach churn, moving the eggs around even more. When he had tried to vomit the day before, he thought they'd all come flying out of his mouth, a thought that he somewhat hoped would have happen. But no, Anansi's eggs weren't about to give him the luxury of having fewer of them to push out.

Being two days into development, Sebastian took a guess and figured the eggs were around the size of grapes. The eggs that had being deposited in his intestines had made them expand to the point where he was always in pain. The eggs in his reserve pouch pressed down on those eggs, making it impossible to move into a more comfortable position, let alone sleep. Shelob had been right. If his pride didn't prevent him from doing so, he would have begged her to kill him.

And then there was Claude; the cherry on top of all of this. A demon that had barely put up a fight against his now deceased mate. A demon that had pretty much lied through his teeth to compensate for raping the mate of a much more powerful spider demon. A demon that had no clue where the nesting grounds were. A demon... a _spider demon_ that didn't know how to spin an egg sac for the eggs.

A demon that was now looking after him.

Of course, he couldn't judge Claude too harshly for not knowing what he was doing. There were plenty of things about his own situation that he didn't understand. In the past, he knew when it came time to push; that constant feeling of needing to defecate paired with contractions that were always too close together for his liking. But now, those signs were always there. Every time he was struck with a pain, he would instinctively reach behind him and cup a hand around his anus as he strained. It always felt like something wanted to come out, but even when he pushed his fingers up inside of him, he didn't feel so much as an egg ready to come, and he was mere hours away from laying. It made him wonder, if all of his experience and instincts were telling him that the eggs were coming now, what was it going to be like when they actually came?

There was a silver lining to all of this, however. Despite having little to no knowledge on what they needed to do, both of Sebastian and Claude were learning extremely fast.

Claude had spent a majority of the day figuring out how to weave an egg sac and trying to find a secluded spot where Sebastian could lay the eggs without interruption. While he hadn't managed to perfect making an egg sac, he was able to find an abandoned den not far off that looked like it was regularly used as a place for demons to safely bear their young, with the empty shells from the eggs of bird-like demons, the torn webs of spider demons, and a small bed-like structure for those who bore live young. He spent a large amount of time cleaning the den out and sealing it off so Sebastian could use it when the time came.

Meanwhile, Sebastian sat on his knees as he rested his arms on the edge of is nest at home. The third day was hours away from being upon him. Despite feeling as though his intestines were about to split, he was completely silent, challenging himself not to writhe or strain, since he knew doing so was pointless until the time came. Every time his stomach would churn or the pain would flare, he would focus on breathing through it until it passed. If he was being honest with himself, he was looking forward to getting these eggs out of him, and if he was lucky, Shelob would leave him alone until next season.

If he was lucky.

That had to be the one thing he wasn't looking forward to. After this ordeal was over, he would have to return to the she-demon. Claude might have been one of the last beings in earth he wanted to share the same living space with, but he would have rather been saddled with him than with Shelob. At least with Claude, Sebastian was able to rest in the comfort of his own nest, and the spider demon knew when to leave him well enough alone. After the incident with Anansi, Shelob was bound to be more agressive and overbearing than she had been before, and there was still a chance that she would use the last weeks of the breeding season to host a clutch of their own. Whether or not she would carry the eggs herself or deposit them inside of him again was still unknown.

There was one thing, one last thing, that he could do to spare himself from an eternity on Shelob's short leash. He was royalty; the youngest son of the Prince of Hell. If he didn't want to be shackled to Shelob until the end of time, he would let it be known. Hell, he'd fight anyone he had to to the death if it meant not having to set foot in that hollow again. Given that the binding had been decided by his own father, Satan, Sebastian wouldn't be surprised if dueling the devil was the only way to reclaim his freedom. As the hours ticked away, that possibility was another thing he began mentally preparing himself for.

The raven demon couldn't help but groan in discomfort as his insides churned once more, sending a horrible pain shooting up throughout his abdomen. Instinctively, he put his head down and began straining once more, knowing that it wouldn't get him anywhere. It was merely his body telling him that his body was running out of room for the eggs; that it was likely that his gut would burst before it came time to lay the eggs. At this rate, he'd exhaust himself long before the eggs were ready to come.

Sebastian gasped suddenly when his insides churned a second time, nearly overlapping the first. A wave of relief washed over him as he felt an enormous amount of pressure release itself from somewhere within his intestines and move into his pelvis. Furrowing his brows, the raven demon offered a light push and was greeted with a small gush of fluid pouring from his rectum.

"Faustus!" he hollered through the entrance to the nest.

In a matter of moments, the spider demon crawled from his den into the nest and was at his side, "What is it, Michaelis?"

Sebastian cupped his hand around his anus once more and pushed. He could feel something trying to make it's way out as the fluid coated his fingers. As he lifted them, he could see the substance was less of a fluid and more of a slippery, wet, clear slime.

He glanced up, his eyes meeting Claude's, "I'd say it's time, wouldn't you?"

Claude nodded staring slack-jawed as the raven demon attempted to get up from his bed, but stopped before he could fully stand. Every movement made it feel as though the eggs were going to flood out of him, forcing him to clench his hips in a desperate attempt to hold them in.

Sebastian let out a frustrated growl.

"A little _help_ would be _appreciated_ , Claude!"


	6. PART 6

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **PART 6**

Sebastian's face twisted in disappointment and annoyance as Claude walked him into the den he had been boasting about for hours. True, it wasn't a far walk from his nest, and it would do as a place for him to lay the eggs, but that was where his approval of the place ended.

It was small, or smaller than what he was used to, at least. Being vain and slightly greedy, Sebastian had built his nest higher and quite a bit larger than most to accommodate for his need for space, and being royalty, he had grown accustomed to the luxury of having large sleeping chambers. The den was also cold and dark with the only light being provided by the realm outside of it, and it was too small to built a fire in and still be able to deliver the eggs safely.

"I think I'd rather do this back at the nest," the raven demon managed to growl as they stepped inside.

Claude couldn't surpress the chuckle in his voice, "No, you don't. Trust me, 482 spiderlings is the last thing you want in your nest."

"I've dealt with worse."

"Shelob _and_ Anansi's spiderlings..."

"Alright, then, I take it back."

The spider demon chuckled once more as he helped Sebastian settle down on the bed like structure, which he had covered in multiple layers of silky webbing to make it softer and more comfortable to lay on.

"How are you feeling?" Claude asked him ask he prepared himself for yet another attempt at making the egg sac.

"The same way I've felt for the past three days," Sebastian replied with a growl, "like my insides are about to rip apart and like I have to take the biggest shit of my life."

The raven demon groaned slightly as he started to remove the garments that covered his lower half.

"Don't start just yet, Michaelis," Claude urged, still in the process of spinning out a silk bed to place the eggs on.

"I don't think the eggs are going to wait," Sebastian countered, opting to lay on his side and pull his knees up as far as his sharply curved abdomen would allow.

Claude strode over to him and checked his progress. Unlike in humans where the progress of labor was checked by measuring how much the cervix had dilated, the progress of a male demon in labor was measured by the amount of fluid that spilled out of the anus. If a lot had been gushing out before and had slowed, it meant that the eggs were near the orifice and were ready to be laid. Judging by the fact that the fluid had almost stopped completely for Sebastian, the eggs had to be pressed up against the clenching muscles. Indeed, they weren't going to wait much longer.

"Just give me a few more minutes..." Claude implored, "I almost have the bed made. After that, you're free to strain and push as much as you'd like."

Sebastian gave a small nod as the spider demon went back to work on bed of the egg sac, spinning his webs faster this time. Within minutes, a fine silkly sheet of webbing covered a fair portion of the floor; a fine bed to place the eggs on.

Moments after he had completed it, Claude turned his attention back to Sebastian. The raven demon had flipped himself back onto his back, the anguish in his features telling him that he was desperate to push. Claude lunged towards him, just as the urge became too much to bear as he let out a strained groan.

The moisture is what the spider demon felt first as six, soft, spherical grey eggs spilled into his hands. Sebastian pushed once more, and four more followed. The relief that spread through the raven demon's features travelled in waves throughout his body. He'd been begging for this for days, and now the pain and pressure were finally easing out of him along with the first of the eggs.

"You have no idea how good that felt!" Sebastian sighed as he laid back and allowed himself to be swept away by those waves. It hadn't even hurt when the eggs came out, it was just difficult.

"That's ten," Claude proclaimed, placing one in Sebastian's hands.

That snapped him back to reality as he ran his thumb along the slimy grey orb that was barely the size of a golf ball. It was still hot from being nestled inside of him, and he could have sworn he could see the spiderling that was curled up inside.

"That's one of yours," Claude stated as he placed the nine other eggs onto the silk bed. His words were met with a confused stare from the raven demon, and he elaborated, "It's an egg that was fertilized by your seed instead of mine."

"No doubt it's one of Shelob's eggs too then," Sebastian said as he passed it back to Claude.

"I don't know. All spider eggs look the same, but I wouldn't rule out that some of your sperm could have beaten mine to some of Anansi's eggs. What I do know is that this egg smells like you, and not me like the others."

The raven demon nodded in understanding, "Can they be separated?"

The spider demon shot him a bewildered look, "What?"

"Is it possible for you to make a separate egg sac to put the ones that have been fertilized by me in. No offense to you, but I'd rather not have them be mixed more than they already have."

Claude smirked slightly. He had expected Sebastian to reject the eggs completely and try to return to Shelob like nothing happened, not realizing just how far his sense of responsibility spanned. It looked like the eggs that were his were the ones he truely cared about; what was his own flesh and blood, and it dawned on Claude that he too had to accept the same responsibility for the eggs that were his, no matter the circumstances in which they were laid.

As Sebastian leaned back and groaned as more eggs made their way down, the spider demon quickly worked to spin another bed for the raven demon's chosen few. It was much smaller than the first, but then again it wasn't going to hold much more than fifty, and that was if Sebastian's seed had manage to fertilize all of the eggs Shelob had already inserted before Anansi had gotten to him.

He had just set the egg down on the newly formed bed when he heard Sebastian start to strain once more. He made it back in front of him in time to catch five more eggs, then another six with the next push, and another eight with the next.

"That's nineteen!" the spider demon announced, barely managing to balance the little grey orbs that were piled in his hands, and he urged the raven demon to hang tight for a moment while he moved placed them with the others, and two more eggs joined the pile belonging to Sebastian.

Sebastian didn't mind the break. He was enjoying the alleviation that spred throughout his core with each egg that left his body. There were some moments where purrs would rumble in his throat at the relief he was given. Those purrs only intensified as he felt another wave make it's way down.

"Four..." Claude counted out loud as the raven demon bore down again, "Ten... thirteen... sixteen!"

Sebastian let out a sigh, catching his breath, "How many does that make, now?"

"Um... fourty five. So far, there are five total that are yours."

The spider demon moved quickly to sort the eggs into their beds. The waves were coming quicker, some larger. The next wave brought on eighteen, and the next one after that brought twenty, and then twenty more with the next.

"We're at 103..."

"104," Sebastian breathed, lifting yet another egg from between his legs and passing it to Claude.

"And that makes thirteen that are yours, now."

By the time the number had reach 150, all the raven demon could do was purr and indulge in the lack of pain that wrapped around his torso. At this point, Claude could no longer keep up with the eggs and had resorted to gathering however many there were when he came back from sorting out the beds.

When the number reached 226, Sebastian no longer felt the urge to push anything else out, leaving him in a state of bliss so long that sleep started to tug at him.

"Let's see..." Claude muttered, "we have 226 total right now. Fourty four are yours, and the rest are mine."

The spider demon's words were the only thing keeping Sebastian conscious, "Faustus?"

"Yes?"

"What was it Anansi said? She deposited 432, making 482 eggs total, roughly?"

Claude paused, "Y-yes, I believe that's what she said. Why? Is somsomething the matter?"

"Oh, nothing major, except I haven't had to push in quite some time now."

The two demons shared a worried look before Claude managed to mutter out two troubling words.

"Reserve pouch."

Sebastian cursed under his breath as he ran his fingers across his less-swollen abdomen and felt the familiar ripple of eggs under his touch. Shelob had warned them that Anansi had filled the organ when it still wasn't fully developed yet, leaving him at a dangerously high risk of being left egg-bound if the muscles around it were unable to contract. If that were the case, the raven demon would have no choice but to let the remaining eggs grow and develop inside of him for another three weeks until the spiderlings finally hatched and tore their way out of his body. His only other option was to have Claude reach in and pull the eggs out, which could possibly kill him.

Knowing their options were limited, Claude turned to the raven demon asked the only question he could.

"What will you have me do, Michaelis?"


	7. PART 7

**A Spider Demon's Reveng** **e**

 **PART** **7**

"Do it."

Sebastian's words caught Claude by surprise as he finally spoke. The raven demon had been silent for several minutes as he pondered his decision over in his head. Time was of the essence, and they both knew that the eggs that had already been birthed needed to be covered and secured in a sac before they dried out and died; whether it was with the eggs that still remained in Sebastian's reserve pouch, or not.

And so the raven demon had decided, at the risk of his own life, to have Claude forcibly removed them from him.

"Are you sure?" the spider demon asked, watching as Sebastian reclined back in his bed.

"There's no way that I'm laying around here for three weeks just to be torn apart anyways," the raven demon replied, "Best to just get it out of the way now."

Claude wanted to protest. There had to be a better way than pulling the eggs out, but if the muscles surrounding Sebastian's reserve pouch were useless for forcing the eggs out of him the natural way, and was no better than leaving him to be tortured in a prison cell, then this was the only way.

The spider demon could only nod in compliance as he positioned himself in front of Sebastian.

"Promise me something before we do this, though," the raven demon spoke, "If I don't make it through this, make sure my eggs make it back to Shelob. Odds are they're hers too, and she deserves to see the children she made me host to."

Claude nodded once more, "I swear on my life, just promise me that you'll hold out until this is over. Because if you die by my hands, she'll be sure to kill me, as well."

Sebastian managed a small smile and nodded, "Then I swear I'll hold on as long as possible."

"I'm going to try to do this as naturally as possible and open the pouch manually. Hopefully, that will get something started."

"Alright," Sebastian took a calming breath as he gripped the silk webbing beneath him, "Whenever you're ready, Faustus."

Claude gave him one final nod before reaching a hand down towards the raven demon's anus. The muscles there were still soft and elastic from birthing the previous eggs, and he tried to mentally prepare himself for whatever agony he was about to put him through.

Without any warning, however, Sebastian's grip on the webbing tightened as he threw his head back in a cry of pain.

"For the love of Hell, Michaelis," Claude hissed, "I've barely even touched you!"

His startled annoyance turned into concern as the raven demon shook his head and began taking deep, labored breaths. He curled in on himself, his knuckles turning unimaginably white as his hands balled up into fists and moved to his sides. A gush of fluid spilled out in front of the spider demon, and he and Sebastian shared a look of astonishment, relieved smiles playing on the corners of their lips.

"The reserve pouch?" Claude inquired, seeking a confirmation.

Sebastian inhaled sharply as he struggled to reign in control of his new-found pain, "It's contracting..."

With a trembing hand, he guided the spider demon's up until it rested on his lower abdomen. Below the skin, Claude could feel the organ tightening and relaxing in time with Sebastian's breathing as it started working the eggs inside of it out.

"Talk about timing..." he said, a chuckle playing in his voice.

"No... kidding..." the raven demon choked out. As the contraction released it's grip on him, he rested a hand on the spider demon's shoulder, "You're going to want to get ready to catch..."

Claude immediately moved his hands back down into the stream of fluid just as another contraction took hold of Sebastian.

The raven demon let out a mangled scream as he felt the contraction force eggs out of the pouch before the orifice had opened itself wide enough to pass through, and he hadn't even managed to try pushing yet.

"Two!" Claude announced cradling two golf ball sized grey orbs in his palms, "We've got two!"

"Who's... 'we'?" Sebastian panted, "I'm doing all of the... the work..."

The spider demon ignored the raven's remark as he moved to place the eggs on the bed of his and Anansi's clutch. It was likely that the rest of the eggs would be placed on this bed, but he still didn't rule out the possibility that Sebastian's seed could have fertilized a few as well. There were still over 200 left to deliver after all...

... And as looked back at the raven demon, his concern returned. It was true that the delivery of the first half of the eggs had left him in a state of bliss mere minutes ago, but it had still taken effort for him to push those eggs out. Sweat was already starting to bead along his forhead, and with his contractions only forcing a handful of eggs out at a time, this labor promised to be draining. It wasn't that Claude doubted Sebastian's ability to deliver them, but it did make him wonder what kind of state he would be left in afterwards.

The spider demon forced himself to push those thoughts aside as the raven demon began bearing down. He hurried back to his position in front of him. Without warning, five eggs spilled into his hands with another small gush of fluid, and another push brought five more.

"Seems like your reserve pouch is finally opening up," Claude commented, noting how the amount of fluid coming out was beginning to slow. The number of eggs that were being delivered was increasing again. Hopefully, it was a sign that it wouldn't take long for Sebastian to push the remaining 244 eggs out of him.

Sebastian could only manage a small noise of acknowledgment as another contraction started. He curled forward and pushed hard, harder than he probably should have as multiple eggs came rushing forth all at once, assaulting the orifice inside of him as his straining muscles forced them out faster than they should have.

The raven demon let out another mangled scream as six more eggs slipped into Claude's palms, followed by another three, and then four. Before the spider demon could move to set the eggs aside with the others, a particularly large contraction struck the heels of the last one and ten more spilled into his hands, some rolling up onto his arms when his hands ran out of room.

"That makes twenty three," he stated, struggling to balance the eggs as he carried them to their beds, "There are a total of fifty one that are yours now, Michaelis. Looks like some of your seed managed to beat mine, after all."

Despite the exhaustion that was encroaching on him, Sebastian managed a small, proud smile, "Good... That's good..."

By no means was this going as fast as the eggs that had been deposited in his intestines. By the time the number had reach reached 350, Sebastian had shifted positions, from lying on his back to squatting with his arms propped up on the bed. His wings made catching the eggs more difficult for Claude, but the spider demon didn't protest, as the new position was already making delivery easier.

By the time the number had exceeded 450, Claude had lost count. The only thing that stopped the spider demon from breaking down and counting up all of the eggs resting on their beds and Sebastian from wringing the spider's neck was the knowledge that it was almost over. It would only take a few more pushes from the raven demon, with the help of a few contractions, for his reserve pouch to finally empty itself and leave him at peace.

Ten more eggs followed, then eleven, and then another fifteen. It was already more than what Claude was expecting, and as Sebastian collapsed against the bed, he assumed that it was finally over. The spider demon's relieved sigh matched the raven's as he sat down beside the beds of eggs.

"Make it a rule between you and Shelob," he said, "No more than what your intestines are able to hold. That reserve pouch was a--"

Claude's lament was cut off by a slight strain from Sebastian. His gaze quickly cut over to the raven demon and he felt something in him sink as he saw one of his hands move lazily back down to his nethers.

"Don't tell me there's more..."

A small huff escaped Sebastian followed by one last sigh of relief as he lifted one more tiny grey orb onto his bed.

"Last one..." he breathed as his body relaxed.

Claude stood up and scooped the egg up from the raven demon's hand. The egg certainly was small, smaller than the rest. In fact, he wasn't sure if it was even fertile, or just a dud that neither of their sperm had been able to reach. The only thing that kept Claude from tossing it was the scent that rolled off of it; Sebastian's scent. Had it been left unfertilized, it would have still carried Anansi's scent, a scent he hoped he'd never have to smell again.

With the new addition, Sebastian's egg count amounted to an impressive sixty four eggs; outnumbering his expectations, but still low enough for them all to fit on the smaller bed Claude had weaved.

The spider demon quickly went to work at his next duty. He spun a silk blanket over both piles of eggs, making sure the threads were secured to the bed underneath. He started with Sebastian's, as it was the smallest, and folded the excess up until it had formed a ball. Every spidery limb cradled the sac as he added layer after layer on top of it until it had formed a silky, silvery sphere. The sac was still rather large, and it filled his arms as he turned to hand it over to Sebastian.

Claude paused suddenly, worry picking at his nerves when he noticed that the raven demon hadn't moved from his previous position. He lay motionless on the edge of the bed, slumped over with one arm under his head, the other sprawled out at an angle in front of him. His wings hung limp at his sides, and his legs had slid out from their squatting position, pressing a hip into the stony floor of the den.

Setting the egg sac aside, he rushed to Sebastian's side and rolled him onto his back. His eyes were closed and his jaw hung slightly open. If he was breathing, it was incredibly light as his chest remained still.

"Michaelis?" he called out, shaking his shoulders, "Michaelis, can you hear me?"

A hand came to rest against the raven demon's cheek. It still felt hot from his recent ordeal and were still tinged a flushed shade of pink.

Claude slapped him lightly, "Come on, Michaelis. Stay with me now..."

After a particularly hard slap, Sebastian's brows finally furrowed and his eyes fluttered open.

"Thank goodness..." Claude sighed, "You had me a bit worried there."

A slight moan rumbled in the raven demon's throat as his eyes slipped closed again, "Need... to sleep..."

"Then sleep, you moron," the spider demon chuckled as he pulled him up onto the bed, "But first..."

Claude reach over and pushed the egg sac into Sebastian's arms. The raven demon looked it over curiously before rolling onto his side and pulling it closer to his chest. Within a matter of moments, he had slipped away into the depths of sleep.


	8. PART 8

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **PART 8**

Claude couldn't stop looking at his egg sac once he had completed it. It was massive; more than half his height and perfectly round. It may have provided more room than necessary for how many eggs there were, but he knew that the spiderlings inside would be needing it once they hatched. Their test of survival wouldn't begin with what lay outside of the gleaming silver sac. It would begin inside as sibling battled sibling for their first glimpse of the outside world. Many of them would die fighting, leaving only the strongest and those that had hatched early alive.

Even then, their fight for life wouldn't be over. There were plenty of demons that wouldn't hesitate to kill a newly hatched demon. They often did; slaughtering them at the first sign of weakness. In the end, those who were able to survive to adolescence typically only did so out of sheer, dumb luck.

Two weeks had passed since Sebastian had laid, and in those two weeks, the raven demon hadn't woken up once. There had been a few occasions where Claude had to make sure that he was still alive, and he was; exhausted and still building his strength back to their previous levels, but alive nonetheless. The spider demon had expected him to sleep for days on end after the ordeal was over, but with a week left until the eggs were due to hatch, the lack of response from Sebastian was starting to unnerve him. Many demons in the past had slept equally as long, passing the hatch date only to be found the next breeding season by some other soon-to-be parent, reduced to a pile of bloodied bones that had been violently stripped of its flesh. Demons were born ready to kill, even if the first lives they took were the ones that brought them into this world.

It all meant that Sebastian had to wake up soon, or he too would meet that same fate.

Claude eyed the egg sac that was wrapped in the raven demon's arms. Though it was subtle, he could see the way it pulsed and squirmed as the spiderlings moved within. He knew that Shelob knew what to expect from this, but he still didn't know about Sebastian. It made him idly wonder just how attached he was with those eggs, because if he expected all sixty four of them to hatch, he had another thing coming. Many demons before had gotten such high hopes for their offspring, thinking that they were strong enough to survive anything that came their way, only to have those hopes dashed when only a handful were found alive after their first year. Sebastian would have to be ready for that, no matter how many eggs he may want to survive.

Meanwhile, Claude himself was trying to sort out his own feelings about the eggs that grew within his own egg sac. There were dozens upon dozens, and he felt no pride in any of them. There was no joy. No eagerness to see them hatch. As a matter of fact, he'd have no qualms about turning his back now and leave the den, if it had not been for Sebastian. There was no way he was just going to leave the raven demon there to sleep and possibly be consumed by the spiderlings. Hell's royal family would never forgive him, and Shelob would probably kill him, but if it were the lives of the eggs on the line, he couldn't have cared less if none of them even made it out of the sac.

He still couldn't understand why, though. These were the eggs that his mate had brought forth, the eggs he had fertilized, the eggs he had worked hard for three days to see that they were laid safely, and yet his apathy towards them hadn't wavered in the slightest. What was it? Was it the fact that Sebastian had been their reluctant host? Was it the fact that they were only his because he had unwillingly spilled his seed into the raven demon? Was it the fact that the spider demon's mate wasn't even someone he loved and was long dead now?

The more questions Claude asked himself, the more intense the battle became in his head. Should he just scoop Sebastian up off of his bed and leave? Should he continue to stay and watch over the eggs and the slumbering raven demon? Or should he forget it all and just leave? It wasn't likely that he would be able to stoop that low after all that had happened, but what if?

 _What if?_

Claude mentally slapped himself as the question echoed in his mind. There were a lot of things he could have done differently. What if he had rejected Anansi's plan completely? What if he had just accepted her offer to become host to her eggs? What if he had refused to fill Sebastian with his seed once Anansi had finished depositing the eggs? What would have happened if Shelob hadn't killed Anansi as soon as she realized what was happening? What if he hadn't volunteered himself to look after Sebastian? What if Claude had to resort to forcibly removing the eggs from Sebastian's reserve pouch just to get them all out? What if Sebastian had died?

 _What if?_

There were so many scenarios to this one situation, some creating a better outcome than what was happening now, and some that would, at the very least, allow him to be able to live with the choices he had already made. There were some that would land him with a life sentence in Satan's torture chambers, and some that would have resulted in a death sentence; either by the devil's hand, or Shelob's. For now, Claude could only be satisfied with the fact that things were still well. Sebastian was still alive, resting and healing, and within a matter of days the fruits of all of their actions would tear their way out of their egg sacs and their own stories would begin

Taking a deep breath, Claude moved to step out of the den, when a voice caught his attention.

"So you didn't run after all..."

The spider demon froze at the familiarity of the voice. Soft, alluring, arousing, and filled with so much darkness it was terrifying. Glittering blue and purple hues bounced off of the stone walls as what little light there was reflected off of her spider-like body. Her slender arms were crossed over her chest with her fingers tapping in impatience.

Shelob.

"I was beginning to worry," the she-demon continued, "For a while, I thought the delivery had been too much for Michaelis, and that you had abandoned him and run."

Claude let out a light chuckle, "I was worried, too. That reserve pouch gave us quite the scare."

"I know. I could hear his cries of pain all the way from my cave. I was going to help him myself, but rumors were that Michaelis was making progress. So, I decided to leave it up to you."

Claude was torn between feeling honored by the fact that Shelob had entrusted him with such a task, and feeling absolutely horrified as all of his 'what if' questions came flooding back to him. Lord knows what she would have done to him if he would have lost Sebastian. Even if the delivery had gone the same. What if, as the raven demon lay limply over the bed, he hadn't woken up? What if his and Anansi's recklessness had killed him? Try as he might to deny it, Claude knew he would have felt guilty, to say the least.

Shelob pushed her way past the spider demon and crouched down next to Sebastian's sleeping form. A stray hand caressed his cheek and stroked his hair before making it's way over to the egg sac that was still wrapped in her mate's arms.

"You know," she said slowly, "For a first-time job, it's actually some really impressive work."

The shock hit Claude like a bolt of lightning, "How did you know it was my first time?"

Shelob let out a small laugh, "It's not that hard. Most of us leave our sacs bound to a wall or suspended by threads. Very few choose to simply wrap it and leave it to be picked up and moved around, but it's not the worst thing in the world. Most first-time parents struggle with making the egg sac thick enough to hold the eggs for three weeks, and they wind up falling apart. But it looks like you've made both of yours nice and sturdy."

Ever so gently, Shelob scooped the egg sac out of Sebastian's arms and carried it with her out of the den. Claude was about to protest when Shelob turned and smiled.

"Don't worry," she said, "They'll just be going back home with me. I know what you're trying to do, but Michaelis appears to be much too exhausted still. I don't think he's going to wake up before they hatch, and I would never leave any of my mates to such a fate."

"Then what should I do?" Claude asked, "My own egg sac is still here."

"If he doesn't wake up beforehand, carry him to Satan's palace and notify a guard. They will take care of him."

And with that, Shelob turned around and scurried off into the distance back in the direction of her cave, egg sac in tow.


	9. PART 9

**A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **Part 9**

Sebastian woke up mere days after Shelob's visit. He'd healed completely; his strength renewed, energy replenished, and his body now healed from whatever strain or damage carrying and delivering the eggs had caused. Granted, some part of him said that he was still tired and in need of rest, but the raven demon pushed it to the back of his mind as he sat up in bed.

He was unnerved by how empty his arms felt, and as he looked about him a pin prick of panic stung him as he realized that the egg sac that Claude had handed to him was now gone. The only thing that eased his worried mind was the light scent that still lingered in the air, cutting through Claude's like a delicate perfume. Shelob's scent. It was then that Sebastian figured that his mate must have come and taken the egg sac back to her cave and had allowed her mate to continue to rest and heal.

Sebastian's eyes veered over to the silvery gleam that lingered in the corner of his eye. Claude's egg sac was positioned a few feet away, secured to the wall with webs. He noted how just beneath the surface, something was writhing and sqirming violently within. Scarlet stains blemished the surface and towards the bottom, the sac was stained an angry shade of red.

The raven demon couldn't help but think about how violent rearing spiderlings was, having to watch as siblings murdered each other for a chance to see what lay outside the safety of their silver-threaded sphere. Even raven demons weren't as violent as that, as they were brought into the world in hard shells and didn't have to cohabitate until they hatched, and the chicks hatch yearning for warmth, which their siblings provided. It was a much quieter upbringing, and the reason why most other demons saw raven demons as soft-hearted and weak willed. Sebastian had worked hard for centuries to break that stereotype, but spider demons still upheld their reputation for being the most brutal and heartless; only outshined by Satan himself.

Sebastian looked over to the entrance to the den. The light outside was obscured by the shape that sat crouched in front of it, with spidery limbs making him look like a withering bush. Claude was still here? But why? The eggs had been laid and Shelob had taken what belonged to her and her mate, eliminating the threat of Sebadtian being consumed by his own young. The eggs the spider demon had claimed didn't require him to linger and make sure they were safe, so why was he still here?

Claude tossed a glance over his shoulder at Sebastian as the raven demon carefully stepped out of the den and crouched down beside him. Neither of them said a word, and instead chose to gaze at distant hills ahead where they had first come from.

"Satan has ordered me to appear in court," Claude finally said, breaking the silence.

"Is that so?" Sebastian inquired, "And why would that be?"

Claude shrugged, "Probably for what Anansi did to you, and for what I did to you."

"And your children?"

"They no longer require me to look after them."

Sebastian gave a slight nod, "When?"

"Tomorrow. At dawn."

The raven demon looked out and noted how the sun was beginning to set; a sun that burned an ugly dusty brown, the sand and ash from Hell's ground and fires mixing in with the rays. In a short time, Claude would be put on trial. Who knew what would happen to him this time. Last time, he had only tried to steal Sebastian's master from him. This time was worse. He had raped a member of the royal family, one that was eternally bound to a well respected and highly feared she-demon. Not to mention he had also sabotaged their clutch of eggs, and Claude's going along with Anansi's plan had led to her death.

Odds were they weren't going to eternally bind him again. Hell, Claude would be lucky if he somehow managed to escape execution.

"Be glad, then," Sebastian piped up, "I'm sure I'll be amongst those judging you. I'll be sure to put in a word or two that highlights what you've done to remedy the situation."

Claude let out a noise that sounded like neither a scoff, nor a laugh.

"I was already walking on thin ice the last time I was in there," he said, "Chances are that I'll be getting the ax this time, if not worse."

Sebastian could understand the possibility of the spider demon's execution. The only reason he hadn't gotten it the last time was because Sebastian had helped him see the truth behind the scent Claude had become so obsessed with; that the blood Ciel's hand had smeared across his face when he had slapped him, the blood he had licked from the corner of his mouth, had belonged to Alois Trancy, not him. He had even gone so far as to beg for forgiveness from both Sebastian and the rest of the courts.

Odds were that wouldn't be enough to save him this time.

Still, Sebastian wasn't going to allow it without a fight. Claude's actions had proved that he had tried to make up for his and Anansi's actions. He hadn't agreed to look after the raven demon and help deliver his eggs out of the so-called goodness of his heart. He had tried to take some responsibility for what had happened, and that alone was worth sparing him from decapitation; if only that. It wasn't going to be easy, as Sebastian's six other siblings as well as his father would also play a part in deciding Claude's fate, but the raven demon hoped that he would have the final say in the spider demon's punishment.

Slowly, Sebastian stood and stretched whatever stiffness and fatigue that stillremained from his limbs.

"I should get going, then," he stated, "My father will want to hear my thoughts on the situation before the trial."

Claude nodded, "Very well. Just promise me something before you go."

The spider demon looked up at him and smirked, "Don't lie through your teeth to try to save me. Let me face whatever justice the courts want me face, even if it's death."

Sebastian returned Claude's request with a dark chuckle, "I do not lie."

Claude couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh as he watched the raven demon fly away towards Satan's palace. His statement alone was a lie. In fact, Sebastian was probably one of the most talented liars in all of Hell, and the only one who couldn't be swayed by his silver tongue was his own father; the ruthless and widely feared devil himself. No matter what Sebastian might try to say to convince the courts otherwise, Claude braced himself for the inevitable.

He braced himself for the ax.


	10. PART 10

**AUTHOR'S NOTE 1/14/2018**

 _I apologize if chapters from this point on seem a bit rushed. Firstly, I'm typing all of this up via the app on my phone, so it's a bit difficult. Second, I've become engrossed in the Thor and Avengers movies, and an idea for a fanfiction related to that has been eating up all of my other ideas for stories. The good news about that is that you can look forward to a Loki related fanfiction after this one, but I'm dead set on finishing this one first. My guess is this will be the last part of this story, as I'm going to try to fit as much as I possibly can into this part without leaving any stones unturned_.

 _Thank you all for your support in this story. All of your Favs, Follows, and Reviews are much appreciated._

 _Enjoy the rest of the story_

 _ **-BlueRaven 666**_

 **A Spider Demon's Revenge**

 **PART 10**

If Claude was being honest with himself, he would have run before ever bothering to set foot in Satan's palace again. He would have run and hid until he was inevitably captured or killed, and that was why he decided to go; because it was inevitable. The verdict would be the same either way. At least if he showed up at his own trial, he'd maintain his pride as he faced whatever punishment Satan, Sebastian, and Sebastian six siblings would deal him. It didn't make him any less pleased with the situation or himself, but his pride was all he had left to cling to, and everyone knew he'd cling onto it with his last dying breath.

Regardless, walking into the room where court was normally held was no less intimidating. Looking more like the Colosseum than a court room, Claude was prepared to see the doors open on either side of him and release some sort of monstrous beast that wanted nothing more than to rip him apart. The other demons that cried and cursed in the seats around him as he walked in didn't help with that thought.

Above the rows of spectators sat eight thrones placed equidistant from each other, spanning the entire circumference of the room. It didn't matter which prince or princess sat where. Each seat offered the same view of what happened in the arena below; the best view. The only seat that mattered was the largest throne, which was reserved for the Prince of Hell himself.

As Claude looked up, he saw that all the members of the royal family had shown up for this trial. Last time it had only been Satan there, most likely because the others had figured that trying to steal another demon's contract wasn't worth a death sentence, and therefore wasn't an interesting enough trial to attend. This time, however, it was different. The youngest child of Hell's ruler, the realm's beloved Michaelis, had been attacked; his and his mate's eggs, corrupted. Sebastian could have _died._ All bets would have been off then. Claude would have faced the death penalty, and there would be no talking his way out of it.

Satan looked as displeased as always; with his ember eyes staring daggers into Claude's with a rage that could rival that of hellfire. His thin lips were twisted into a disgusted sneer, clearly not at all pleased with seeing him again or with the reason that he was there. A pair of black, curved horns resembling those of a ram sat on his head, and his pointed ears seemed to almost flatten themselves against his head.

To ruler's left sat Cain, the eldest and most feared son of the Prince of Hell. He was a demon of wrath, and everyone knew it. He always tried to keep his expressions blank and unreadable, but his eyes betrayed him; burning with a hatred for everything and everyone, save for his family. Everyone knew it'd be a bad day when he ascended to the throne, as he was Satan's rightful heir.

Then there was Belphegor, Hell's least favorite prince and demon of sloth. As per usual, he sat with his head resting on an upturned palm, his nails dirty and overgrown, long unkempt brown hair hanging in his face, and his mouth slightly agape as he snored. Not even the noise from the crowd roused him from his sleep, and those that sat near him could tell he had not bathed in weeks, if not years; reeking of urine, feces, smoke, and something that was dead and rotting. Yes, he truely was Hell's least favorite prince.

Unfortunate enough to be placed next to him, doing her best to fan his pungent odor away from her, was Lilith. Named after her mother, Lilith was the widely loved, widely feared she-demon of lust. She was a sight, with full red lips, silky black hair, and a sultry voice that could be leading you into night of pure passion, or to your death... or both. Even Claude knew he'd never be able to resist the charm in those glittering pink eyes.

Then there were the twin princes, Amon and Asmodeus. Both were identical with jet black hair and glowing green eyes. There appearence often led them to being mistaken for grim reapers, save for their eyes' catlike appearance. Amon's primary sin was Greed. Asmodeus's, envy. They were inseparable, and one would never be seen without the other. Rumor was if that day ever came, it was s sign of the apocalypse.

Next to them was the second youngest child of Satan, Sabnok. While it was said that he was a demon of gluttony, many weren't so sure. He was rarely seen eating, whether it was human souls or what was served in the dining hall. The only thing that said 'gluttony' about him was his appearance. Not in the sense that he was overweight, but hunger did linger in his deep brown eyes; an insatiable hunger. Maybe that's why he didn't eat, because it was pointless. Useless.

And finally, there was Michaelis, seated to Satan's left side, eyes closed as if he were trying to block out all the noise going on around him and was concentrating on his thoughts. Or perhapse he was trying to avoid looking at Claude. The spider demon couldn't help but notice how Sebastian had only glanced at him once when he had walked in, his gaze neither hopeful nor dismayed, and thus leaving what sort of words had been exchanged between the eight of them a complete mystery.

"I've had enough of this!" Cain was the first to speak, "The ax is far too merciful a punishment for such a crime. Send in Cerberus, or the harpies. Something brutal to ensure a violent and painful death!"

Cheers of agreement came from the crowd.

"Aren't we forgetting that this wasn't just Faustus's doing?" Lilith asked, "Everyone knew how vial and manipulative Anansi was. Faustus would have never come within a thousand miles of Michaelis if it wasn't for her. This was her doing!"

"Yes, well Anansi is dead," Sabnok chimed in, "You can't exactly punish a corpse."

"Not to mention Faustus had every opportunity to refuse her," Cain added, "Anansi was already walking on thin ice for murdering her previous mate. Chances were she wouldn't have been stupid enough to do it again."

Lilith scoffed, "Doubtful."

"Michaelis wasn't even at his full strength when he was attacked," Asmodeus noted, "Anyone could have taken advantage of the situation."

"The fact that Faustus and Anansi did doesn't exactly surprise me," Amon added.

"I'm I the only one seeing the big picture here?" Lilith hissed, "Faustus would have never done--"

"How do you know he wouldn't?" Cain cut her off, "Not too long ago, Faustus was trying kill Michaelis over a soul. I don't know if you've noticed, but there are a lot of souls out there! Who's to say he wouldn't stoop to raping a member of the royal family, and for what? Revenge? Status? Spite? It doesn't matter!"

Claude remained silent. Technically, none of them were wrong. Rape wasn't uncommon, but a lowly demon such as himself raping a member of the royal family was a heinous crime usually seen as a desperate attempt to to climb up the ranks. He had the power to refuse Anansi's demands, but he didn't. He had the power to walk away but he didn't. Sure it wasn't entirely his fault, but he wasn't blameless either.

"I heard quite a different story," Belphegor muttered out, having woken from his nap, "Rumor has it Michaelis actually enjoyed himself while Claude was thrusting into him."

"Lies!" Cain snarled, the crowd joining in as they began thowing stones in the sloth demon's direction, "Do you even know how much pain being a host causes a male demon?"

"Do you?"

Cain was ready to pounce on Belphegor when Satan stood up from his throne.

"I believe that's enough deliberation," he said, silencing the room, "We all know why we're here. Michaelis, you've been awfully silent throughout all of this. How are you felling?"

"Tired," the raven demon replied curtly, "Honestly, I'd rather be anywhere else than here."

"No one here blames you for what happened, son. I can assure you of that."

"Well..." Belphegor started before being abuptly cut off.

" _No one. Blames you. For what happened!_ You were saying, Belphegor?"

The sloth demon pursed his lips and looked away, "I do not blame you, brother."

Satan nodded and slowly sat back down on his thone, "Faustus, you know why you're here, do you not?"

"Yes, sire, I do," the spider demon replied.

"You've been accused of raping my youngest son Michaelis, and sabotaging his and his mate's clutch of eggs with the she-demon known as Anansi. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, sire."

"And do you understand the severity of your actions? You were in here not even a month ago for trying to steal a contract from Michaelis as well."

"Yes, sire, I understand."

"Of course, the courts cannot make a decision until all sides of the story have been heard, and since Anansi is dead, I'm going to have to ask you to speak on her behalf."

Claude nodded in understanding as he spoke.

"I can't say for certain what exactly was going through Anansi's mind, but I do know that she wanted to make Michaeli host to our eggs as some sort of revenge for killing me. I tried to refuse her, but she threatened to go to the courts and say I was displeasing her if I didn't comply with her demands. I think it's also worth noting that Anansi's only alternative was to have me become host to her eggs."

"Then why didn't you just go with that?" Cain asked, "It would have saved you a lot of trouble, and you wouldn't be standing here now about to have your head lopped off."

"I didn't do it because I had already refused the offer. The next thing I know, Anansi's talking about all this with Michaelis. I was trapped, and I was irritated. I agreed to Anansi's plan without even thinking. It not a good reason, I know, but at the time... with a clouded mind, it seemed like the better option."

Satan let out a long, frustrated sigh, "You realize nothing you're saying is helping your case, right? You've lived in these realms for thousands of years; long enough to know what laws there are."

"I know."

"And I do want to know what Cain mentioned before. What was your reason for doing this? Was it revenge on Michaelis for killing you? Was it for status? For spite?"

"No, it was not, sire."

"Then why?"

Claude flinched as he felt the eyes of every being in the room lock onto him. God, how he wished Anansi was here standing trial with him. This was her doing, and he would have revelled in trying to see her weasel her way out of this. But it was just him, which didn't make him feel any better about what he was going to say.

"I have no reason. Michaelis won the battle for Ciel Phantomhive's soul fairly. Obtaining royal status doesn't appeal to me, either. A crown would suit me about as well as a fish suits land, and it wasn't for spite. There was no reason behind my actions other than it was my mate's will, and I reluctantly agreed."

The crowd was silent, but Claude could already feel their shaking heads and disapproving scowls.

"I see," Satan said after a long moment, "And do you truely feel the gravity of your crimes?"

"I've felt the gravity of my crimes since I first agreed to Anansi's ridiculous plan, thought it really didn't hit me until I was watching her insert her ovipositor into him. It sickened me, even more so when she discovered his reserve pouch, and even more so when I was pushing myself into Michaelis. And while the eggs were maturing inside of him, ad when I was there helping him deliver the eggs, the only thing I could think was, 'What I'd do to go back in time and agree to be host to Anansi's eggs.' I would have rather delt with 432 eggs in my intestines than to have ever put Michaelis though such agony."

The Prince of Hell nodded in acknowledgement before turning to Sebastian, "Can you confirm any of this?"

The raven demon's eyes were now open and staring down at Claude.

"I can," he replied, "Faustus doesn't apologize worth a damn for anything he does, yet on that day he apologized profusely for what he and Anansi had done to me. After Shelob had killed Anansi, he offered to look after me in her stead. He made my nest more secure as I rested, and when troubles came up with the reserve pouch, he was willing to comply with my demands at forcing the eggs out. While it hadn't come to that, he could have decided to back out or run away at anytime, but he didnt."

Satan let out a small hum before turning to the crowd, "And what do you think about this, Shelob?"

The she-demon stood up from the middle of the crowd.

"I think he's a scoundrel and a fool for what he did, but I trusted him with Michaelis's care, and he did not let me down. I think that has to count for something."

"I agree," Sebastian said as he stood up.

"So do I," Lilith chimed in.

Amon, Asmodeus, and even stubborn Sabnok and Belphegor stood up in agreement. Cain and Satan, however, remained seated. It wasn't often that the courts were torn on a decision, but when they were, debates usually got ugly.

"I'll admit," Cain said, having managed to calm himself down some, "It's not as bad as what I was thinking. Regardless, we can't just let this vile act go unpunished. I mean, what kind of message would that send to the public?"

"I agree," Satan nodded, "And indeed Faustus's actions will not go unpunished, but I'll leave it to Michaelis to decide what that punishment will be."

All eyes that were on the Prince of Hell or Claude immediately turned to the raven demon. Sebastian pondered what to do as he looked down at the spider demon. He chuckled to himself.

"You know, right before this trial, Faustus asked me not to save him should he face the death penalty. Therefore, I propose a vote. All those in favor of the ax, say 'I'."

Not a word was spoken. No hands were raised.

"There you go, Faustus," Sebastian stated, "You've been saved from the ax, and I didn't even have to force my hand."

"So the question remains," Satan piped up, "What will his punishment be, Michaelis?"

Sebastian pondered his decision for a long, silent moment. At the time he had been burdened with Anansi's eggs, he'd been thinking up a wide variety of punishments that ranged from execution to imprisonment to torture. Maybe even a combination of the three. But Claude did feel remorse for his actions and condemned the actions of his mate. Keeping that in mind his decision required a certain level of gravity and mercy.

"A suitable punishment for this crime would be 'an eye for an eye'," the raven demon finally stated, "I propose, with my mate's approval, to make Faustus host to Shelob's eggs and fertilize them with my seed, just as he and his mate had done to me."

Looks of question were exchanged amongst both the crowd and Sebastian's siblings. It was a good punishment, a fair punishment, but rather light considering the crime had been committed against a member of the royal family. They had gathered there in anticipation of an execution, if not a brutal torturing. For this to be the punishment the youngest son of the Prince of Hell deemed worthy of the lowly spider demon... it was daunting, if not a little disappointing.

"Really?" Cain breathed, "Are you sure? Because Faustus's imprisonment isn't out of the question..."

"I'm sure." Sebastian responded, "That's my decision, be it the final one or not."

"Who's to say that isn't what Faustus wants?" Asmodeus inquired, "How many demons are out there that would kill to so much as touch a member of the royal family? If anything, this spider might see it as a great honor to be host to Michaelis's young, rather than a punishment."

Shelob stood up from her seat once more.

"Unlikely," she said, "The three days a male is hosting the eggs are brutal. Faustus will be unable to breathe, let alone move properly, without feeling the pain of his intestines stretch. The feeling will only be amplified if he has a reserve pouch. I approve of my mate's choice in punishment."

"I agree," Satan said as he stood from his throne, "Though it is controversial, I accept your proposal, Michaelis. Faustus, for your second crime against the royal family, I hereby leave you at the mercy of Shelob and Michaelis's wrath. Although, something tells me you should be more afraid of Shelob than Michaelis."

Claude gave an acknowledging nod. He was torn. He felt relief at the fact that he wasn't being put to death, glad that he was practically walking away scot-free considering the other outcomes that could have resulted. Yet some partpart on him was uneasy, if not a little scared for his punishment.

God help him if he had a reserve pouch.


End file.
